In Between
by Deviant Collusion
Summary: When the world is filled with poverty, deceit, scandal, and devastation, where do you turn when looking for the light?


A/N:

Hello! :D I hope you all like this story. It's been skimming around in my head for a few months and hopefully it wasnt a waste of time. As you all know, I do not own the KH franchise and I never will.

ENJOY!

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This was it.

Roxas paced before the ledge of the Hollow Bastion Bridge, the place where it all started. His mind was spinning out of control.

He felt broken. There was nothing more to live for. He was gone and there was nothing he could do. The one person who meant the world to him, taken, never to be seen again. Damn it, Roxas, how could you have let that happen? You're worthless. You should have just jumped right after him. You'll never live up to anything. It was you who should have fell off that ledge.

Roxas gripped the ledge, slinging one leg over, then the next. He stared up at the dark sky. Fresh flakes of snow were beginning to fall. Roxas unzipped his coat, sliding it off his shoulders and just letting it fall down, down to the ice cold water that he'd be in just a few moments later. He turned around to face the ledge, taking one last look at the town he grew up in. Roxas let the ledge slip from his fingers and began to free fall towards the dark abyss of the river.

* * *

_Life is just a chance to grow a soul._

Roxas never believed in a Heaven or Hell. He believed in a realm where nothing existed, a realm that would accompany death. And in this realm, you could not breathe. You could not see, hear, feel, smell. You were there. But no one else was. There were no sounds to be heard, or words to be spoken. You were to lie there, existing and not at the same time for all of eternity. In this realm, you were worthless. This is where he felt he belonged.

So when Roxas woke up in the living room of someone's home, wrapped in a blanket and dry clothes, he was shocked. He sat up from his spot on the black, leather couch, feeling a pounding in the back of his head. And then tripping over the blanket he was wrapped in, he found himself laying face first in the red carpet.

"I see you're finally awake, now."

Roxas looked up from his spot on the carpet. Clearing his vision, he could make out legs clad in blue jeans. Casting his eyes up more, he could see a dark, gray t-shirt, with well-defined arms crossed over a torso. Going further up, he spotted a pale neck. Finally craning his neck up enough, he found the face of a boy with slate hair, long bangs covering half of his face and a dark grey eye with a raised eyebrow starring intently at him.

"My name is Zexion. " The boy held out his hand to Roxas. After taking hold of it, he was hoisted off the ground. Roxas yelped, expecting the boy to have only wanted a handshake.

"What is your name?" the slate-haired boy asked. Roxas looked at Zexion, unsure of whether or not to answer, and deciding to just stand there like Zexion had just popped out a second head. Zexion just went on to the next question. "Do you remember what happened?"

Still no answer.

Zexion uncrossed his arms, placing one hand on his hip and using the other to rub his eyes while letting out a sigh. After a few seconds, he lifted his gaze back to Roxas. "Can you talk?"

Roxas nodded.

"Okay then…Do you remember what happened after you jumped off the bridge?"

Roxas shook his head to signal he had no fucking clue. His mind was jumbled and he felt nauseous. He had no recollection of anything after jumping off the bridge. He expected his life to be over by now and he definitely did not expect what happened next.

The front door flung open and before Roxas could see who it was, he was already jumped on and tackled to the couch. The life was then squeezed out of him from a very tight hug.

"He's finally up!" The boy hugging him then pulled away, holding him at shoulders length. "Oh my god, I thought you were dead! I couldn't bare the sight of you, when we got you out of that river you looked like a corpse, your skin was all white and I couldn't stop asking why a cute little boy like you would ever want to jump off a bridge and DIE!"

"Demyx." Zexion looked towards the mullet-haired boy.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Demyx was shaking Roxas' shoulders, the latter just staring dumbfound. Zexion walked over to the two, gently taking Demyx' hands off of Roxas.

"Demyx, where's Axel?"

"Oh, he's just-"

"DEMYX!"

There was a loud bang before everyone turned to see a red-headed man sprawled in front of the front door, grocery bags littering the surroundings.

"You okay, Ax?" Demyx asked the red head sweetly.

"I'm just dandy, Dem," Axel looked up to the mullet haired boy. "Now, if you don't mind, you can get your ass over here and help me with these fucking groceries!" Axel glared at Demyx.

"Oh, sorry, Ax! I completely forgot!" Demyx rushed over to Axel's side, picking up discarded fruits on the ground.

Roxas just looked around the apartment. He was in a place he didn't know and surrounded by people he didn't know. Not only that, but he didn't have any idea what was going on or what had happened after his fall. Anxiety began to set in and he weighed all the options in his hands. He frantically looked around the room. He noticed his shoes near the foot of the couch and a jacket slung over an armchair near the door. Making a last decision, Roxas jolted up, grabbing the sneakers and the jacket before jumping over the red headed man near the door and sprinting down a set of stairs that lead out of the apartment complex.

He kept running and running and running, but it got him nowhere. He had made it about six blocks over before he felt a slim arm wrap around his waist, making him stop dead in his tracks. He was then spun around, revealing the arm slung about his waist was attached to the red headed man, Axel.

"Whoa there, kid. No need to run away. We're not going to hurt you or anything, okay?" Axel held the boy tightly, slinging both arms around him in an embrace.

"Let me go!" Roxas slammed his fists against Axel's chest.

"No. If I do, you'll run away again." Axel looked down at the squirming blonde, a smirk gracing his lips. "And besides, kid, I think you just need a hug right now."

"Fuck your hug!" Roxas yelled. Pulling his knee back, he planned to hit the guy where it would really hurt. Unfortunately, Axel was prepared. Axel grabbed Roxas' knee just in time.

"Listen, kid-"

"Don't call me kid." Roxas glared daggers at Axel, his upper lip forming into a pout, defeating the purpose of showing his masculinity. The red head just grinned.

"Well I don't exactly know your name. Would you like me to call you sunshine instead? I don't think that would suit you right though… seeing as you just tried drowning yourself in the fucking river!" Axel flailed one arm up into the air for emphasis. "What is up with you kids these days, anyway? You guys are just doing these things left and right. No respect for the sanctity of life anymore! See, when I was a kid, all my worries revolved around girls and yo-yo's!"

"My name's Roxas. Now just shut up."

"Well, Roxas, I think you need help. Where do you live? I'll take you home, we can talk to your parents and shi-"

"No!" Roxas attempted to push the man away again. "I don't want your help!"

"Just tell me where you live, Roxas. I don't want to have to bring you down to the hospital and have them commit you or something. Just let me take you home, talk to your parents, and get you help through an alternative." Roxas was giving in, thinking there was no way of escaping the man's grip.

"I don't have parents. And I don't have a home. Now can you let me go? I…I promise I won't run?" Roxas looked up at Axel, his gaze lightening up with the glare. It was only then he noticed that the man had a labret piercing. Said labret piercing was being toyed with as Axel thought hard. His grip around the boy softened and he let his arms drop to his sides, watching Roxas, making sure he'd keep to his word.

"Okay, ki- I mean, Roxas…You're going to have to explain some things. I'm not letting you leave my sight till you do so this is going to happen whether you want it to or not." Axel looked down at Roxas' feet. "Guess you didn't have time to put on the shoes with all that running you did. Slip them on and the coat, too, while you're at it. We'll go somewhere warm for a bit." Axel picked the coat off the ground as Roxas slipped on the shoes. Axel helped Roxas put on the black coat, which just so happened to be the red heads. It was way too big on him, hanging just above Roxas' knees. Axel gently led Roxas by the shoulder towards the direction they were going in. "I'm Axel."

"So I heard back at the apartment." Roxas stared down at the pavement they were walking on. The sidewalk was covered in ice, making the boy slip every so often. "So, where are we going?"

"We're going to a coffee shop for a little bit. Nice place to warm up and talk." Axel replied, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

"What if I don't want to talk?"

"Then we won't make it back to the apartment for dinner. I don't plan on leaving this shop until I get a little background story from you and figure out what we're going to do about this." Axel brought the cigarette to his lips, pulling out a lighter and setting it aflame.

"Do about what?" Roxas watched as a spiral of smoke hung off the cancer stick.

"Do about you." Axel took in a long drag, exhaling and looking down at Roxas. "Do you really think I'm going to just let you go? You'll probably try and go back to that bridge to finish the job. "

"I don't recall why the job wasn't done the first time." Roxas looked up at Axel.

"Because, I just so happened to be walking by. I saw you near the ledge. I yelled to you, but I guess you didn't seem to hear me. When I saw you slip off, I jumped in after you."

"How heroic." Roxas stated sarcastically, staring straight ahead on the open road.

Axel paid no attention to the last comment. "You hit your head on something when you fell into the river. That's probably why you don't remember. You kept slipping in and out of consciousness for the past two days." He took another drag from his cigarette.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Excuse me?" Axel stopped. He looked towards the blonde.

"Why are you trying to help me?" Roxas stopped and turned around, a few feet in front of the red head.

"Because you're a kid. I believe you're stupid and naïve. You don't understand what life can provide for you. I figured that just maybe, if I gave you that second chance at living, you'd understand that death isn't what you want. Tell me, how did it feel when you hit the water? How did it feel knowing you wouldn't live to see the next day break? "Axel looked at the blonde, emerald eyes scanning his face.

"I wouldn't know! I hit my head on a god damn rock or something!" Roxas turned around and began walking, frustrated. Axel quickly caught up.

"Would you do it again if you could?" Axel stopped the boy by grabbing onto his shoulders.

"In a heartbeat." Ocean blues glared into emerald greens.

"Well let's go." Axel stared back with a nonchalant look.

"W-what?" Roxas immediately lost the glare.

"C'mon." Axel grabbed Roxas' wrist and dragged him down the sidewalk further. The two turned down an alleyway. It was dark and cold, puddles of melted snow littering the ground every few steps. Before Roxas had time to think, Axel was pulling down the fire escape on the side of a brick building. He beckoned Roxas to climb up first. Roxas hesitated but then proceeded. What was this guy trying to prove? Axel followed Roxas up the fire escape. Roxas counted each story as they ascended. By the time they reached the top it was eight stories high. Axel motioned for him to climb over the ledge of the building so they could get on the roof. When they were finally at the top of the building, Roxas turned to the taller man.

"What now?" Roxas asked agitated. The red head turned his head up, dusting off his pants. Standing up straight, he walked towards the blonde, throwing an arm around his shoulders and guiding him to the edge of the rooftop.

"This is your chance to finish the job."

Roxas stared at Axel wide-eyed. He skimmed over the man's face to find any trace of sarcasm, instead finding two symmetrical tattoos under his eyes that he didn't notice earlier.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Not at all." Axel stated seriously. They were at the ledge now. Roxas looked down at the fall below him. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. First, this man won't let him out of his sight out of fear he'd try this again and now, he's aiding Roxas by bringing him up here. Was this guy nuts or something?

"You ready, kid?"

Roxas glared at Axel. Said red head laughed.

"I mean Roxas."

Roxas looked back down one more time. "Yeah, I-I'm ready."

Axel stared down at the blonde. "This isn't like jumping off the bridge. If you jump, here, right now, there's no going back, Roxas. Once you fall, it's not like I can jump after you and both of us live to tell the tale. If you do this, the job will get done whether you want it to or not."

"I know." Roxas looked up to the red head and turned away from the ledge.

"I won't leave you just yet. I'll stand right here by your side until you're gone." Axel bit down on his lower lip, looking in the blonde's direction. His eyes roamed the younger's face.

Roxas stared straight ahead. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped closer to the ledge. Now, this is it. Slowly, he closed his eyes to the world. He could feel the chilly, December air all around him. He could still feel the red head's gaze. There was no turning back now. He could finally leave this world without any interruptions on the way. All he had to do was let go. Roxas could feel himself slowly falling back, falling further and further, farther away from the edge…

And as Roxas sprung his eyes open in the mixture of fear and regret, Axel was still by the edge, waiting to read his face, ready to grab his arm and pull him back. As the red head did so, Roxas slipped on the ice stuck to the ledge, causing his body to slip forward onto Axel, making them both fall to the concrete of the rooftop in a massive heap of limbs.

"I knew you wouldn't go through with it." Axel leaned up with Roxas still buried in his chest, the boy too shocked to even think. He sat up straight, letting the blonde sit in his lap. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas as the boy began to shake violently, silent tears falling from his eyes.

"It's not _fair."_ Roxas let out a choked sob. Axel ran his hand through blonde spikes just staring out into the distance, listening to the boy mumble incoherent thoughts. What was he getting himself into?

A few minutes had passed before Roxas stopped shaking. Wiping tears from his face, he pulled back from the red heads chest, standing from his spot on the others lap, Axel standing soon after. The elder wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulder, something that occurred a lot that day, and started walking the blonde towards the fire escape.

"Let's go get those coffees."

* * *

A/N:

So there you have it. Let me know what you think!

~Deviant Collusion


End file.
